Stretcher.



L. M. PALMER.

STRETCHER.

APPLlCATIUN FILED ocr. 4. 1915.

1,173,45. Patented Feb. 29,1916.

anwntoz LMPHLMER LOTTIE M. PALMER, QF WYOMING, DELAWARE.

srnnrcnna.

Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Application filed October 4, 1915. Serial No. 54,012.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOTTIE M. PALMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wy-' oming, in the county of Kent and State of Delaware,have invented certain new/and useful Improvements in Stretchers, ofwhich the following is aspecification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved stretcher and has for its primaryobject to provide a device of this character embody.- ing a flexiblesheet having its edges hemmed, and a sectional frame the respectivesections of which are adapted to be removably arranged in the hemmededges of the sheet.

The invention has for one of its more particular objects to provideimproved means for easily and quickly connecting together the severalsections of the frame upon which the stretcher sheet is supported.

The invention has for another of its objects to provide an improvedcover permanently attached at one ofits ends to the stretcher sheet tocover the body of the patient, means for detachably securing said coverat. its longitudinal edges to the body sheet to permit of a greater orless freedomof movement of the patient.

The invention has for its general object to provide a device of theabove character, the several parts of which may be easily and quicklyassembledor disassembled and compactly arranged for convenience intransportation.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the stretcher, the sectional supporting framebeing arranged in the edges thereof; Fig. 2 is a trans- I versesectional view; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the frame; and Fig. 4 is adetail sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 designates the body sheet of thestretcher which is constructed of canvas or other suitable flexiblematerial. This body sheet has its longitudinal and end edges providedwith wide hems indicated at 6, for the purpose of receiving thesectionsof the supporting frame to be later referred to.

To the upper surface of the body sheet 5, adjacent one of its ends, oneend of aflexifl of greater freedom of movement.

. ble cover 7, also preferably of canvas, is

- stitched or-otherwise permanently secured.

' The other free end of this cover is hemmed,

as at 8, and the longitudinal edges of said cover sheet arefolded uponthemselves to provide the free unattached flaps 9 between the edgesof-said cover and the body sheet 5. Upon the upper surface of the cover7, at each of its longitudinal edges, spaced buckles 10 are suitablysecured, and to the flap 9 a second relative positions as the buckles11, are also secured. A To the body sheet 5, along each of itslongitudinal edges, a series of straps 13 are attached at one of theirends and adapted to be connected to either series of buckles 11 or 12,whereby the patient may be closely confined upon the body sheet 5 or thecover loosely attached to said sheet so as to permit It is, of course,apparent that, if desired, various other detachable fastenings for thecover sheet may be employed in lieu of the straps and buckles.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, I have illustrated a frame whereby thestretcher may be conveniently carried. This frame includes side bars orrails 14: and the end bars 15. Each of the end bars is provided in itsinner longitudinal edge and adjacent to each end thereof with a notch orrecess, 16, which is lined with a U-shaped metal plate 17 Theextremities of theside rails 14 are reduced to form projecting tongues18 thereon, and these tongues and the ends of the rails are covered bymetal caps 19. A longitudinally extending metal strip 20 is fixed at itsends to the bar 15 and overlies the recess 16 therein. 21 designates theconnecting rod whereby the side rails 14 are detachably connected attheir ends to the end bars 15 of the frame. These bars are adapt-'- edto extend under the metal strips 20 andseries of buckles 12, in the sameindicated at hems 6 on thesides of the Y the stretcher while, the endnected from the bars 15 are engaged in the hems on the ends of saidsheet, the tongues 18 fitting into the recesses 16 of the bars 15. Thehems 6, along the longitudinal edges of the body sheet of the stretcher,are provided in their opposite ends With slits or openings 25 so thataccess may be readily had to the rods 21 and the adjusting screws 24,whereby said rods can be easily and quickly connected to the frame barsor removed When it is desired to separate the sections of the frame.Along the longitudinal and end edges of the body sheet 5, suitable handloops 26 are also preferably attached, Whereby the stretcher may beconveniently carried from place to place.

When the stretcher is in frequent use, the end bars 15 of the frame maybe disconside rails 14. by simply removing the rods 21 and said end barsremoved. The body sheet 5 of'the stretcher, together With the coverthereof, canthen be rolled and the stretcher body, together With theside rails 14, compactly disposed and securely strapped together. Thus,the several parts of the device will occupy but very small space.

claimed.

When the stretcher is assembled in conditlon for use andv the severalframe sections engaged in the hemmed edges of the stretcher sheet andproperly connected, a I rigid marginal frame is provided which Willprevent undue sagging of-the body sheet ofthe stretcher and, the patientto lie thereon.

It will be seen that, in view of the extreme simplicity of the device,its manufacturing cost is small While, at the same time, a stretcher ofgreat convenience and serviceahility in practical use is obtained.

While I have shown and describcd what I believe to be the preferredembodiment of my invention, it is tobe understoodthat the same issusceptible of considerable modification therein and I, therefore,reserve. the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may befairly embodied within' the spirit and scope ofthe invention as at thesame time, permit in a comfortable position Having thus fullydescribedmy invention,

what I desire Patent is 2- 1. In a stretcher, a body sheet, a coversheet consisting of a single length of mate rial permanently securedalong one of its end edges to the body sheet, the longitudinal edges ofsaid cover sheet being provided with two sets of fastening elements, anda series of fasteners secured to the body sheet adjacent each of itslongitudinal edges for connection to either series of fastening elementsalong the longitudinal edges of the cover sheet.

2. In a stretcher, a body sheet, a cover sheet consisting of a singlelength of 1naterial permanently secured along one of its end edges tothe body sheet, the longitudinal edges of the cover sheet being foldedto provide unattached flaps, and means whereby the flaps may bedetachably secured to the body sheet, or said cover detachably securedto the body sheet at points inwardly of said flaps.

3. In a stretcher, a body sheet, a cover sheet permanently secured atone of'its ends to the body sheet, the longitudinal edges of said coversheet being folded to provide unattached flaps, fastening elementssecured upon said flaps, a second series of fastening elements securedupon the cover sheet, and means secured. to the longitudinal edges ofthe body sheet for connection to either series of the fasteningelements.

'4. In a stretcher, a body sheet provided along its longitudinaland endedges with spaced hand loops, a cover sheet permanently fixed at one ofits ends to the body sheet and provided along each of its longitudinaledges with two series of spaced fastening elements, and mcnts secured tothe body sheet along each of its longitudinal edges for connection toeither series of fastening elements on the cover sheet. 7

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my to claim and secure by Letterssignature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOTTIE M. PALMER.

Witnesses:

FLORENCE BURKE, CHAS. DUPONT RmenL-Y.

